It is important to protect large investments and give them due consideration; that includes mattresses and bedding. Your bed and everything on it are a large part of your life. You may not spend a lot of time thinking about it, but you sleep on it (hopefully) eight hours a night. That’s roughly 2,944 hours per year that you spend in bed. Now, you need quality sleep during those hours, because how rested you are affects job performance, relationships, and health. In that regard, your mattress and bedding are a big deal. Consider that when buying a mattress—get one you will be truly happy with so that you can be at your best during the day. Since mattresses are expensive and fairly central to your nightly routine, don’t forget to buy a mattress protector. It will keep your mattress free of creepy crawlies, discourage allergens, and save your mattress from spilled drinks and pet accidents. You can get similar protection for your pillows too. Give thought to all of your bedding. Make sure that your blankets and pillows aren’t impairing your ability to sleep. You are justified in splurging on luxury bedding—remember how much effect sleep and your bed have on your life.

Pillows get taken for granted. When was the last time you gave serious consideration to your pillow? Your pillow has a large impact on your quality of sleep. You need the right level of softness, firmness, and thickness, and don’t forget the shape. There are pillows specifically designed for those who prefer to sleep on their backs, side sleepers, and people who sprawl on their stomachs. There are pillows that help prevent snoring, ones that cool or heat while you sleep, and those with built-in speakers for your mp3 player. You can choose from pillows made out of foam, feathers and down, latex, plastic fiber filling, memory foam, and gel. See, you really should give your pillow some thought; there are many options to choose from to increase the quality of your sleep.

If only we all had the energy levels and seemingly endless bursts of energy that our children seem to get on a daily basis. This is of course good during the day, but not so good at night when they need to get into bed. Here is how you can get them into bed earlier:

Do not neglect their playtime during the day. You should help to ensure that they get a healthy level of play during the day so that they can sleep better once night comes around. In addition, set certain rules regarding bedtimes and expect them to stick to it. Finally, if you can do so, start by setting the example as best as possible.

You will find, especially with the last one, that once parents are asleep most children will also have no trouble getting into bed. You can help the most by emulating the right kind of behavior that is expected.